International Day of Action 2008: Africa
Lesotho| Mozambique | Rwanda | South Africa | Sudan | Togo | Uganda | Zambia
Lesotho
Discussion About Critical Water Issues
An event was held in the Mokhotlong district at Polihali, which is the where the first dam of the Phase 2 of the Lesotho Water Project is proposed to be built. There was a discussion focused on water as a right, the politics of water and other environmental issues.
Contact
Transformation Resource Centre (TRC)
Phone: +266 22 314463
Web: www.trc.org.ls
Email: trc@trcorg.ls
Mozambique
Justica Ambiental (JA!) held an event to protest dams
Contact
JA! Justiça Ambiental (Mozambique)
Phone: +258 82 310 6010
Email: ja_ngo@yahoo.com
Email: ja-anabela@tdm.co.mz
Rwanda
Critical Report Launched
The Nile Basin Discourse Forum released a critical report on the potential social impacts of a dam proposed for the Nile River. The report documented the affected communities' concerns about the Rusumo Falls and Rusizi III hydropower projects. Dam proponents tried to prevent the report's publication, stating that it could cause delays in the project.The report generated a lot of press coverage.
Contact
Frank Habineza, Coordinator
The Nile Basin Discourse Forum
Web: www.nbdfrwanda.org.rw
Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
Pushing for Improved Sanitation for Residents who Live Near Rivers
The Green Network (GN) of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa held a conference at which issues related to e.coli as the result of poor sanitation for river-side residents was addressed. Attendees also discussed ways to put pressure on the municipal government to improve water quality and delivery in the region.
Contact
Sandile Ndawonde
Green Network(GN)
P.O.Box 3515
Langalibale Street
22 Perks Arcade,Perks Building
PIETERMARITZBURG
3200
Phone: +27 33 3452045
Email: info@greennetwork.org.za
Web: www.greennetwork.org.za
Students Planned a Celebration of Rivers!
University Students in an undergraduate Political Ecology class organized an event to commemorate the 11th Annual Day of Action. They held a protest on campus, and also created a display about the importance of maintaining clean rivers. In addition, they conducted a successful river clean-up, even despite rainy weather.
Contact
Harald Witt, University Professor
Howard College Campus
University of KwaZulu-Natal
PO Box Dalbridge
4001
Durban
Email: Witth@ukzn.ac.za
Protests to recognize the 11th Annual Day of Action for Rivers
The Dam Affected Communities Campaign in South Africa spearheaded protests against dams in three provinces throughout the region. One protest was staged in the Eastern Cape province where three communities are affected by two dams. Another was held in the KwaZulu Natal province. The third took place on March 29th: Inanda dam-affected community members marched to the city of Durban to submit a formal list of grievances against the construction of the dam. There was also a community stakeholder meeting in Limpopo regarding contamination of rivers and dams by mining companies that operate in Makopane and Madershoek--both community members and government officials were in attendance.
Contact
Thabang Ngcozela, Water Justice Program Manager
Environmental Monitoring Group
P.O. Box 13378
7705 Mowbray
SOUTH AFRICA
Phone: + 27 21 4482881
Email: thabang@emg.org.za
Web: www.emg.org.za
Sudan
Solidarity Message to Protest the Kajbar Dam
The Kajbar Dam Resistance Committee circulated a solidarity message to hundreds of people and especially, to environmental organizations, asking them to send letters of their own in protest of the construction of the Kajbar Dam.
Contact
Rafat H. Abbas, Information Officer
Kajbar Dam Resistance Committee
Email: rafatfageeri@gmail.com
Togo
Discussion with Dam-Affected Communities
A fruitful discussion was held during the week leading up to the Day of Action between communities affected by the Nangbeto Dam, along with the presence of colleagues from GTZ Germany. On the 14th, there was a sit-in in the village of Agotime Nyitoe, where community members have no choice but to drink heavily polluted water from a river that runs directly from the main city of Palime.
Contact
Sena Alouka, Executive Director
ONG Jeunes Volontaires pour l'Environnement
Phone: +228-2200112
Web: www.ong-jve.org
Uganda
International Effort to Protest Further Detriment of the Nile
Free Flowing Rivers staged this photo by the Bujugali Rapids of the White Nile, which will be flooded by the dams that are currently under construction. The Chilean photographer was 20 meters up on a tree with a local Ugandan teenager, who provided the expert advice about climbing the massive tree. Local children formed the "N" in the word Nile, and the rest of the letters were formed by Australians, South Africans, Americans and Swedes.
Contact
Rodolfo Rada,Director
Free Flowing Rivers
Email: rodolforada@gmail.com
Web: www.freeflowingrivers.org
Zambia
Free Flowing Rivers organized a twelve-hour biking relay race for young people in a township in Zambia. The event was organized to create youth interest in both sports and the environment.
Contact
Rodolfo Rada, Director
Free Flowing Rivers
Email: rodolforada@gmail.com
Web: www.freeflowingrivers.org
For further information, please contact:
Day of Action Coordinator
International Rivers
1847 Berkeley Way
Berkeley, CA 94703 USA
Phone: +1 510-848-1155 x317
Fax: +1 510-848-1008
E-mail: dayofaction@internationalrivers.org
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